Derry’s Sophia Mazzoni, Greensburg CC’s Jerry Davis earn gold at state meet
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Saturday, May 24, 2025 | 6:13 PM
Derry’s Sophia Mazzoni wins the javelin during the PIAA Class 3A track and field championships Saturday at Shippensburg University.
Derry’s Sophia Mazzoni wins the javelin during the PIAA Class 3A track and field championships Saturday at Shippensburg University.
Penn-Trafford’s Aidon Lett takes eighth in the 300-meter hurdles.
Norwin’s Annie Czajkowski takes fifth in the 3,200-meter run during the PIAA Class 3A track and field championships Saturday at Shippensburg University.
Greensburg Central Catholic’s Jerry Davis wins the 400-meter run during the PIAA Class 2A track and field championships Saturday at Shippensburg University.
Nowins’s Ryan Schiller hugs Plum’s Owen Proskin after finishing second and fourth, respectively, in the 110-meter hurdles during the PIAA Class 3A track and field championships Saturday at Shippensburg University.
Greensburg Central Catholic’s Eva Denis finishes fifth in the 100 meters during the PIAA Class 2A track and field championships Saturday at Shippensburg University.
Derry senior Sophia Mazzoni and Greensburg Central Catholic junior Jerry Davis achieved their goals Saturday at the PIAA track and field championships.
They returned to Westmoreland County with gold medals.
It was the second gold for Mazzoni in the Class 3A javelin and a first for Davis in the 2A 400 meters at Shippensburg University’s Seth Grove Stadium.
Mazzoni, who was the reigning Class 2A champion, won the 3A title with a throw of 158 feet, 2 inches. The winning toss came on her third attempt.
Mazzoni came into the competition seeded third behind two girls — Blue Mountain senior Makayla Keck and Perkiomen Valley junior Ava Flicker — who had thrown more than 160.
But neither girl could stay with Mazzoni. Flicker finished fifth with a throw of 145-5, and Keck did not make the finals. Her best throw was 132-10.
“Being where I was placed, it definitely got my wheels turning,” Mazzoni said. “It gave me something to fight for, just having that determination and just knowing what I can do and trust the process.
“Knowing I had two girls in front of me, I wanted to set the tone and get a throw out there. I executed it well. I got a throw out there, and I made them nervous.”
Mazzoni said she was glad to throw first, especially with the wind.
“The wind was there,” Mazzoni said. “It affected all of us. I wanted to set the tone; I did it well.”
The Auburn commit said she will miss nationals and head to college in late June.
“Having this competition was a good warm-up for college, and I think that is what I needed going into the SEC,” Mazzoni said. “I got to compete against some new faces.”
Davis dominated the 400. He was seeded first, and he finished first.
He had a strong kick during the final 25 meters to pull away from the pack.
“Always at the end there, I know if anyone’s near me, I definitely got them in the last 100,” Davis said.
Davis placed fifth last year, but he came back more determined.
“It was great to see improvement, even meddling in the 200,” Davis said. “I have a right will of not to lose. I was hoping to break 47, but the wind was too strong.”
Davis also got a seventh-place medal in the 200.
Greensburg Central Catholic seniors Eva Denis and Sasha Hoffman each returned home with two medals. Both were on the 1,600 relay team that placed seventh.
Denis also placed fifth in the 2A 100 dash, and Hoffman was seventh in the 100 hurdles.
“I am pleased,” Denis said. “I felt I ran my hardest. I am definitely proud how far I came. I was seeded sixth coming in.”
Hoffman showed her mettle competing after twisting her ankle and slicing her foot during the 300 hurdles preliminaries.
She placed eighth in last year’s state meet.
“Despite the injuries, I still wanted to compete and get a medal,” Hoffman said. “I was proud how I finished.”
Norwin shines
Senior Ryan Schiller did not return home with a gold medal, but he did earn a silver medal and won a bet.
Schiller finished second to Palmyra’s Tyler Burgess, who broke a state record in the Class 3A 110 hurdles.
The bet was with junior Annie Czajkowski, who finished fifth in the 3,200 and lowered her personal record by 32 seconds.
Czajkowski was hoping to run in the 10:40s. She ran a 10:32.
She broke the school record held by Leslie Kovach of 10:35 in 2009.
“I was seeded 27th and started in the second row,” Czajkowski said. “I never want to say the 3,200 is my race, because I did not enjoy running (it). It was so fun (Saturday). I loved the slow burn.”
Schiller said he, Annie and a couple of teammates went to a creek near the Shippensburg campus.
“She told me she’d be mad if she did not break 10:40, and I bet her $20 her she’d run faster,” Schiller said. “I am happy for her.”
Senior Brandi Brozeski placed seventh in the 100 hurdles.
Penn-Trafford senior Aidon Lett returned home with an eighth-place medal in the 300 hurdles.
Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.
Tags: Derry Area, Greensburg C.C., Norwin
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